Sustainable agriculture is a complex concept and an alternative to industrialized agriculture. Sustainable agriculture seeks to make the best use of nature's goods and services whilst not damaging these assets.[1] The concept includes economic, social and ecological aspects.[2]
Relation to food
Overall agricultural systems are considered to be sustainable if they are economically viable, environmentally safe and socially fair.[3] If looking at the ecological perspective, sustainable agriculture is achieved by integrating natural regenerative processes, such as nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, soil regeneration and natural enemies of pests into food production processes. It also means that the use of non-renewable inputs (pesticides and fertilizers) that damage the environment or harm the health of farmers and consumers is minimised.[4] So in practise sustainable agriculture entails that farmers use resource-conserving technologies, such as integrated pest management, soil and water conservation, integrated plant nutrition, recycling, multiple cropping, water harvesting and waste recycling.[5] At the same time one major challenge with sustainable agriculture is that very few farmers have adopted these practises. Furhtermore, for sustainable agriculture to get established it needs agricultural professionals willing and able to learn from farmers and other stakeholders, support from external institutions, and local groups and institutions capable of managing resources effectively and it needs agricultural policies that supports all these features.[6] So the concept is complex to implement in practise.
The goal of the concept is to be able to meet society's food needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.[7] Agriculture have a huge effect on the environment, human health and social order and is therefore a critical part of a movement toward sustainability.[8] It is also a significant part of the aim of having a sustainable food system.[9] Every person involved in the food system can play a role in ensuring a sustainable agriculture system. Furthermore the concept is believed to be a solution for the existing food insecurity problem our world faces.
As stated before sustainable agriculture is often seen as an alternative to industrialized agriculture, which in recent decades have caused significant environmental and health externalities.[10] Agricultural development policies and practises have during the past 50 years concentrated on external inputs (i.e. pesticides, animal feedstuffs and machinery) to increase food production and these has replaced the internal resources (biological, cultural and mechanical methods for controlling pests and diseases, inorganic fertilizers, local labor and local energy sources).[11] Sustainable agriculture and the challenge from it is to make better use of these internal resources.
Critique of concept
The main critique of this concept is the actual meaning of the word sustainability, which depends on which context it is used in. There doesn't exist a precise and absolute definition of sustainability, and therefore there doesn't exist one for sustainable agriculture.[12] This is a problem because there then exists different views on if a practise actually is sustainable or not. Advocates of sustainable agriculture agrees that the conventional approach to agriculture is inappropriate, but there are significant differences regarding the type of farming practises that is thought to be sustainable, and what types of farming practises should be developed to achieve sustainability.[13] There are also many parties involved in the debate making the definition of sustainable even harder. In the video following this part researcher Sophia Hagloani-Albov further elaborates on this problematic aspect, especially when answering question one and two.
Interview
This video is an interview with researcher Sophia Hagloani-Albov. She talks about the basics of sustainable agriculture and pinpoints problems and different aspects of the concept.
Relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable agriculture is directly linked to SDG 2 No Hunger. The concept is specifically mentioned in the goal of this SDG, where it is stated that
the goal is to promote sustainable agriculture and double the agricultural productivity and income of small-scale producers, ensure a sustainable food production systems and to implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity.[14]
Agriculture requires a lot of energy, which means that in order for the agriculture to be sustainable the energy also needs to be it. The concept can therefore be linked to SDG 7 Energy, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and moders energy for all.
As sustainable agriculture also involves social factors, the well-being of farmers and consumers is also relevant. For example farmers need to have the opportunity to farm in a sustainable manner, whilst not risking their livelihood. Thus the concept can be linked to SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth. Finally as sustainable agriculture also can see as being about producing sufficient amount of food in a sustainable way to feed the population, it can be linked to SDG 12 Responsible production and consumption.
The video below explains how the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN views sustainable agriculture. They discuss how it is crucial to link sustainable food and agriculture to the SDGs and how it is important to implement the concept on a country level (2:37).
Marrone Bio Innovations have come up with bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agricultural, turf and water treatment markers. The biopesticides used are natural-occurring substances, that can control pests and improve agricultural plant health without using chemicals that can harm humans and beneficial insect populations. This bio-based product enhances plant and soil health, whilst managing weeds, pests and plant deceases in for example fruit, nut, vegetable and grain crops, as a part of an integrated pest management strategy. It is developed in the US and deployed in South Africa, Turkey, Guatemala and Mexico.[15] This is a concrete example of a sustainable agriculture practise that is moving away from the harmful pesticides often used in industrial agriculture practises.
Example from Finland
An example of sustainable agriculture in Finland is the Palopuro Agroecological Symbiosis project. The Knehtilä Farm, located in Hyvinkää, is in the center of a cooperative food production system based on bioenergy and self-sufficiency.[16] The project restructures the food system in the Palopuro village. They have created a local food cycle, which reconnects farmers and consumers, minimizes nutrient loss, and relies on local bioenergy. The project is in other words not only about sustainable agriculture in the sense that it aims to produce local, organic food with bio energy and recycled nutrients, but also about the social, economic and cultural aspects of sustainable agriculture, with bringing farmers and consumers closer together and bringing life to the otherwise "dying" city of Palopuro.[17] The picture below shows how the projects works. From it we see that the farms have started a loose cooperative system, that is based around nutrient- and waste recycling. They are using the waste to generate biofuel and then use the biofuel to i.e. run the machines and for the heating. Then the producers directly sells the products to customers. So in addition to being sustainable on a social, cultural, economic and organic level, they have also created a self sustained energy system.
^ Pretty, J.N. (1995). Participatory Learning for Sustainable Agriculture. World development, Vol.23, No.8, pp. 1247-1263.
^ Senanayake, R. (1999). Sustainable agriculture: Definitions and parameters for measurement. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture. Vol.1, No. 4, pp. 7-28
^ Lichtfouse, E. et al. Agronomy for sustainable agriculture. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, Springer Verlag/EDP Sciences/INRA, 2009, Vol. 29, pp.1-6
^ Pretty, J.N., Morison, J.I.L. & Hine, R,E. (2003). Reducing food poverty by increasing agricultural sustainability in developing countries. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Vol.95, pp. 217-234.
^ Pretty, J.N. (1995). Participatory Learning for Sustainable Agriculture. World development, Vol.23, No.8, pp. 1247-1263.
^ Pretty, J.N. (1995). Participatory Learning for Sustainable Agriculture. World development, Vol.23, No.8, pp. 1247-1263.
^ United Nations. Conference on Environment and Development, the Earth Summit, Rio de Janiero 1992
^ Horrigan, L., Lawrence, R. & Walker, P. (2002). How Sustainable Agriculture Can Address the Environmental and Human Health Harms of Industrial Agriculture. Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol.110, pp. 445-456
^ Horrigan, L., Lawrence, R. & Walker, P. (2002). How Sustainable Agriculture Can Address the Environmental and Human Health Harms of Industrial Agriculture. Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol.110, pp. 445-456
^ Pretty, J.N., Morison, J.I.L. & Hine, R,E. (2003). Reducing food poverty by increasing agricultural sustainability in developing countries. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Vol.95, pp. 217-234.
^ Pretty, J.N. (1995). Participatory Learning for Sustainable Agriculture. World development, Vol.23, No.8, pp. 1247-1263.
^ Pretty, J.N. (1995). Participatory Learning for Sustainable Agriculture. World development, Vol.23, No.8, pp. 1247-1263.
^ Rigby, D. & Cáceres (2001). Organic farming and the sustainability of agricultural systems. Agricultural systems. Vol.68, pp. 21-40.
Sustainable agriculture
Definition
Sustainable agriculture is a complex concept and an alternative to industrialized agriculture. Sustainable agriculture seeks to make the best use of nature's goods and services whilst not damaging these assets.[1] The concept includes economic, social and ecological aspects.[2]
Relation to food
Overall agricultural systems are considered to be sustainable if they are economically viable, environmentally safe and socially fair.[3] If looking at the ecological perspective, sustainable agriculture is achieved by integrating natural regenerative processes, such as nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, soil regeneration and natural enemies of pests into food production processes. It also means that the use of non-renewable inputs (pesticides and fertilizers) that damage the environment or harm the health of farmers and consumers is minimised.[4] So in practise sustainable agriculture entails that farmers use resource-conserving technologies, such as integrated pest management, soil and water conservation, integrated plant nutrition, recycling, multiple cropping, water harvesting and waste recycling.[5] At the same time one major challenge with sustainable agriculture is that very few farmers have adopted these practises. Furhtermore, for sustainable agriculture to get established it needs agricultural professionals willing and able to learn from farmers and other stakeholders, support from external institutions, and local groups and institutions capable of managing resources effectively and it needs agricultural policies that supports all these features.[6] So the concept is complex to implement in practise.
The goal of the concept is to be able to meet society's food needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.[7] Agriculture have a huge effect on the environment, human health and social order and is therefore a critical part of a movement toward sustainability.[8] It is also a significant part of the aim of having a sustainable food system.[9] Every person involved in the food system can play a role in ensuring a sustainable agriculture system. Furthermore the concept is believed to be a solution for the existing food insecurity problem our world faces.
As stated before sustainable agriculture is often seen as an alternative to industrialized agriculture, which in recent decades have caused significant environmental and health externalities.[10] Agricultural development policies and practises have during the past 50 years concentrated on external inputs (i.e. pesticides, animal feedstuffs and machinery) to increase food production and these has replaced the internal resources (biological, cultural and mechanical methods for controlling pests and diseases, inorganic fertilizers, local labor and local energy sources).[11] Sustainable agriculture and the challenge from it is to make better use of these internal resources.
Critique of concept
The main critique of this concept is the actual meaning of the word sustainability, which depends on which context it is used in. There doesn't exist a precise and absolute definition of sustainability, and therefore there doesn't exist one for sustainable agriculture.[12] This is a problem because there then exists different views on if a practise actually is sustainable or not. Advocates of sustainable agriculture agrees that the conventional approach to agriculture is inappropriate, but there are significant differences regarding the type of farming practises that is thought to be sustainable, and what types of farming practises should be developed to achieve sustainability.[13] There are also many parties involved in the debate making the definition of sustainable even harder. In the video following this part researcher Sophia Hagloani-Albov further elaborates on this problematic aspect, especially when answering question one and two.
Interview
This video is an interview with researcher Sophia Hagloani-Albov. She talks about the basics of sustainable agriculture and pinpoints problems and different aspects of the concept.
Relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable agriculture is directly linked to SDG 2 No Hunger. The concept is specifically mentioned in the goal of this SDG, where it is stated that
the goal is to promote sustainable agriculture and double the agricultural productivity and income of small-scale producers, ensure a sustainable food production systems and to implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity.[14]
Agriculture requires a lot of energy, which means that in order for the agriculture to be sustainable the energy also needs to be it. The concept can therefore be linked to SDG 7 Energy, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and moders energy for all.
As sustainable agriculture also involves social factors, the well-being of farmers and consumers is also relevant. For example farmers need to have the opportunity to farm in a sustainable manner, whilst not risking their livelihood. Thus the concept can be linked to SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth. Finally as sustainable agriculture also can see as being about producing sufficient amount of food in a sustainable way to feed the population, it can be linked to SDG 12 Responsible production and consumption.
The video below explains how the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN views sustainable agriculture. They discuss how it is crucial to link sustainable food and agriculture to the SDGs and how it is important to implement the concept on a country level (2:37).
FAO (2017).
Relation to corporate praxis
Marrone Bio Innovations have come up with bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agricultural, turf and water treatment markers. The biopesticides used are natural-occurring substances, that can control pests and improve agricultural plant health without using chemicals that can harm humans and beneficial insect populations. This bio-based product enhances plant and soil health, whilst managing weeds, pests and plant deceases in for example fruit, nut, vegetable and grain crops, as a part of an integrated pest management strategy. It is developed in the US and deployed in South Africa, Turkey, Guatemala and Mexico.[15] This is a concrete example of a sustainable agriculture practise that is moving away from the harmful pesticides often used in industrial agriculture practises.
Example from Finland
An example of sustainable agriculture in Finland is the Palopuro Agroecological Symbiosis project. The Knehtilä Farm, located in Hyvinkää, is in the center of a cooperative food production system based on bioenergy and self-sufficiency.[16] The project restructures the food system in the Palopuro village. They have created a local food cycle, which reconnects farmers and consumers, minimizes nutrient loss, and relies on local bioenergy. The project is in other words not only about sustainable agriculture in the sense that it aims to produce local, organic food with bio energy and recycled nutrients, but also about the social, economic and cultural aspects of sustainable agriculture, with bringing farmers and consumers closer together and bringing life to the otherwise "dying" city of Palopuro.[17] The picture below shows how the projects works. From it we see that the farms have started a loose cooperative system, that is based around nutrient- and waste recycling. They are using the waste to generate biofuel and then use the biofuel to i.e. run the machines and for the heating. Then the producers directly sells the products to customers. So in addition to being sustainable on a social, cultural, economic and organic level, they have also created a self sustained energy system.
University of Helsinki, Palopuro Agroecological Symbiosis.
External links
FAO - Sustainable Food and Agriculture
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Urgenci - International Network for Community Supported Agriculture
IFOAM - Organics International
Open source articles
Horrigan et al. (2002) How Sustainable Agriculture Can Address the Environmental and Human Health Harms of Industrial Agriculture.
Pretty (1995). Participatory learning for sustainable agriculture.
Rigby & Cáceres (2001). Organic farming and the sustainability of agricultural systems.
Quiz
Quiz created by Sofia Slotte with GoConqr
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/
http://explorer.sustainia.me/solutions/bio-based-products-for-agricultural-pest-management-and-plant-health Retrieved on: 26.4.2017
http://blogs.helsinki.fi/palopuronsymbioosi/english/ Retrieved on: 17.4.2017